By Mark Angelo Montero | PTV Public Affairs Intern
Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
Having said so, we all know that education serves as the key to success and the gatekeeper to achieve an individual’s dream. The idea of mandatory Senior High School gained a lot of criticism since its initial implementation was mandated by the government.
In celebration of its decade-long run, Iskoolmates marked this milestone with a special Thursday episode held at Holy Angel University in Pampanga. The youth-oriented show brought students together for a timely debate on a pressing issue: should Senior High School be removed from the K to 12 curriculum?
Those representing ‘pro’ are debaters from Holy Angel University Kisha, Alvin and Diether. Meanwhile Jian, Arianne, and Althea represented the cons of removing Senior High School from K to 12 curriculum.
Optional is not an Option
The discussion started with the question: “Dapat nga bang tanggalin ang mandatory Senior High School?”
With this question, Kisha from pro side firmly agreed to remove the Senior High School for being mandatory, pointing out that it should be optional.
“‘Yong K to 12 curriculum, [as per] studies from DepEd, [it] says na hindi nila na-meet yung objectives na ‘yon or merong results pero hindi siya sufficient para ma-prove na dapat mandatory yung Senior High School,” she said.
Jian strongly disagreed, highlighting that transitioning to higher education is a must to obtain quality education.
“Kailangan hindi dapat tayo mag-stay lang sa employability factor ng SHS. it is also a transition to higher education kasi nga kailangan [ng] quality education according to Article 14, Section 2 ng 1987 Constitution,” she stated.
As the discussion proceeded, Kisha stressed that the K to 12 curriculum is not the only answer to obtain quality education but rather she argues that, “Quality education wise, as I said, hindi naman Senior High School lang talaga yung magi-give way for College sa mga students. As preparation din, meron ding bridging programs na pwedeng applyan ng mga students as alternatives for Senior High School.”
Jian, somehow, argued that “We have assistance internationally from ADB, na inaayos na ngayon to strengthen the curriculum, and they’re actually helping with the infrastructure itself by simplifying the curriculum para mas kaunti yung subjects at para mas marami yung immersion sa work.”
Optional Senior High School vs. Global Standard
The debate intensified when the host continued to asked the question: “Kung tatanggalin ang Senior High hindi ba’t mas lalaki ang agwat ng Pilipinas sa global standard ng 12 years basic education?”
Arianne emphasized that if Senior High will be removed, the country’s education system will fall behind.
Yet Alvin clarified that they’re just proposing the optional approach rather than mandatory Senior High School so they will have an option to choose. “So let me clarify, we are advocating for optional Senior High School meaning they have the choice to go to Senior High School.”
Globally Competitive Education System
The discussion leads to comparison of the global competitiveness of the education system to other countries.
Alvin pointed out that Senior High School is not a basis of learning proficiency saying “Rank 1 globally which is Singapore, they have the compulsory K to 10 but they have an optional Senior High School that they call the Junior College, so, sa kanila pa lang pinapakita na, without the compulsory K to 12, mataas pa rin ang learning proficiency nila.”
“We have the program now, we have the resources now, we have manpower, we have experts kung sasabihin natin na i-reallocate pa natin siya to an optional one—we would be taking a step backwards—or to already reallocate it sa improving ng system na meron na tayo ngayon. We should improve it rather than abolish it, or make it optional, kasi nandito na tayo. Instead of moving forward, mas gugustuhin mo bang pa backwards ang Pilipinas?”
Arianne added that instead of reallocating the curriculum, why not improve the curriculum that’s already mandated by the law instead of changing it to an optional one.
“Bakit hindi tayo mag focus sa Senior High School? According to World Bank 2022, 91% of 10 year old students cannot read with proficiency and comprehension. So why shouldn’t we focus on K to 10, which is our foundational learning; ang sabi nga ng sa mga studies natin. Ang mga estudyante kapag mas bata sila, mas marami silang na ta-take in na information.”
Education Measurement
With that being said, the discussion transitioned to the heated question: Paano masisigurong competitive ang ating mga graduates sa buong ASEAN at global market kung mas maikli ang basic education natin kaysa sa ibang bansa?
Diether strongly disagreed that K to 12 is not a scale to identify the competitiveness of education compared to other countries. “First of all, in-implement lang naman ang K to 12 dahil sinasabi ang Pilipinas [nahuhuli] na siya in terms of academic [competitiveness] kaya nga lalong pinahaba ‘di ba?”
Althea point out that “How can you be sure na kapag mas maikli na yung years natin ng pag-aaral, mas magiging competitive tayo dun sa nasabing [growth]? Hindi ba ‘pag tinanggal yung K to 12, mas magkakaroon ng chances na mas less yung learning ng mga bata?”
In the end, this episode broadened the definition of the idea towards the K to 12 curriculum. The new curriculum should be seen as an instrument to fully equip and prepare the students.
The debate highlighted the benefits of implementing the K to 12 curriculum, while simultaneously emphasizing the things that the Government needs to improve about the factors affecting the growth of the current curriculum.
-dac/avds
